Residents object to Conshohocken Wawa text amendment

CONSHOHOCKEN ­­— More than 175 residents attended a special Conshohocken council hearing Wednesday night at Washington Fire Co. to express their opinion about the proposed Wawa convenience store on Fayette Street.

A majority of the residents vehemently opposed the Wawa plan while the seven-member council listened intently. Council has scheduled a formal vote on the requested Wawa text amendment for 7 p.m., April 17, at the fire company.

The Conshohocken Planning Commission narrowly recommended against the text amendment on Jan. 22 after holding two hearings, said attorney John DiPietro, the special counsel for Conshohocken council. Commission member Brian Tobin and Chairman David Bertram voted against the text amendment, and member Matt Mittman voted for it in the 2-to-1 vote.

The proposal from Provco Pineville Fayette L.P. of Villanova includes a 4,149-square-foot market with 49 parking spaces on the 1.45-acre lot at 1109 to 1201 Fayette Street. Two driveway entrances would be located on Fayette Street and a two-way driveway entrance would be located off Harry Street at the rear of the former E.F. Moore Chevrolet dealership. Ten gasoline pumps would be located on five gasoline islands under a canopy at the front of the property. Twenty two new parking spaces on Harry Street would be available for visitors to the football field located behind the Wawa.

An October 2012 traffic study from McMahon Transportation Planners said the site would have 3,508 vehicular trips passing on a daily basis. The weekday, morning “peak” hour would have 91 trips “in” and 91 trips “out” of the Wawa. However, subtracting 69 “pass-by” trips on Fayette Street from both numbers would leave 22 “new trips,” in and out, for a total of 44 “new” trips in the weekday morning “peak” hour.

The weekday, afternoon “peak” hour would have 124 trips “in” and 124 trips “out” of the Wawa. By subtracting 94 “pass-by” trips on Fayette Street from both numbers, it would yield 30 “new trips” in and out for a total of 60 “new trips” in the weekday afternoon “peak” hour.

After one consultant took 30 minutes to explain the proposal, DiPietro asked the developer to concentrate on presenting the text amendment request rather than the Wawa proposal.

Traffic engineer Casey Moore, representing the developer, said the Wawa would add 3.5 percent of traffic in the morning “peak” hour and 4 percent in the afternoon “peak” hour to Fayette Street traffic. Moore said PennDOT had approved the traffic study, which would allow the developer to move forward with highway entrance permits.

Moore disputed a traffic analysis from a traffic engineer working for a community group opposed to the Wawa, the Conshohocken Revitalization Alliance (CRA), that found a larger number of morning car trips at a Plymouth Wawa and a Folcroft Wawa.

Wawa officials agreed to prohibit left turns out of Harry Street onto 11th Street and prohibit truck access to Harry Street, said Wawa real estate manager Susan Bratton. A crossing guard would be offered on football game days for Conshohocken Bears games.

Planner E. Van Rieker, representing the developer, said a minimum lot size of 40,000 square feet and a minimum frontage of 250 feet would restrict use of the text amendment to the proposed Wawa parcel.

Councilman Matt Ryan asked whether 18-wheel trucks could use the gas station. A Wawa engineer said the physical layout would make refueling take 30 minutes.

Council President Paul McConnell questioned why the traffic study did not compare traffic counts with the Wawa business plan for the proposed site.

“You use a ‘pass by’ rate of 76 percent,” McConnell said.

Casey replied that the percentage came from a multi-state traffic study of Wawa locations adopted by PennDOT.

“I have serious reservations about your numbers,” McConnell said. “Why wouldn’t you have recommended closing that sidewalk where there is a very short “gap” between cars on Fayette Street? It leads me to have a number of concerns.”

Councilwoman Anita Barton asked if Wawa would do a traffic study that included multiple apartment developments expected to be built in Conshohocken,

Moore said PennDOT had trusted the methodology of the Wawa traffic study.

Attorney Gary DeVito, representing the CRA, said, “this is one of the most hotly contested proposals in Conshohocken. This particular project is not zoned for the area. A text amendment is an extreme remedy.”

DeVito said the Conshohocken Revitalization Plan gave council a path to reject the text amendment.

“It is clear that the big concern in doing a revitalization was to protect from chain retailers coming in,” DeVito said. “This is what is best for the community. Wawa is much worse than any chain retailer. This is about gasoline. If this is granted it is going to make Conshohocken a thorofare.”

Gary DeMedio, a CRA member, said, “this council has a huge decision to make. It is a game changer. I ask you to protect the residents’ interests.”

Traffic engineer Jeffrey L’Amoreaux said that PennDOT’s acceptance of the Wawa traffic study did not mean it endorsed the study methodology.

“Wawa’s bottom line is what is good for Wawa,” one woman said. “Stay with the revitalization plan.”

Andrew Factor said he liked the Wawa proposal because of its community support. “Wawa calls its employees team members,” he said. “Please don’t let your emotions hinder your judgement.”

One man said that the Wawa would lower gasoline prices in the area.

Jerry McTamney said that traffic was already a problem in Conshohocken. “It is not the place for Wawa,” he said. “Wawa is all about money. The big thing we need is a big food store in Conshohocken.”

Diane Sasaman asked for council to deny the text amendment. “Judging by the people here,” she said. “It is not what we want.”

One woman said there were alternate uses for the parcel. “We don’t want 24-hour businesses with gasoline. We are concerned with our property values,” she said. “We are not anti capitalism. The proper forum is through the zoning board.

Denise Painter said she loved the revitalization plan. “I like the direction of the city,” she said.